Cubic HfN Thin Films with Low Resistivity on Si (001) and MgO (001) Substrates

Abstract

We deposited epitaxial and highly textured cubic HfN (B1-NaCl) thin films on single-crystal MgO (001) and Si (001) substrates, respectively, using a pulsed laser deposition technique. The HfN thin films are around 100 nm thick. Detailed microstructural characterizations, including x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution TEM, were carried out. Resistivity as low as 40 lX cm was observed by standard fourpoint probe measurements. The low resistivity and good diffusion barrier properties demonstrated by our preliminary Cu-diffusion tests for HfN on Si suggest that HfN could be a promising candidate diffusion barrier for Cu interconnects.

Sublimation crystal growth of yttrium nitride

“…Examples include TiN [1] and HfN [2] diffusion barriers for integrated circuits [3]; CrN for hard, wear resistant coatings; ScN for high temperature Ohmic contacts to IIIA nitride semiconductors [4]; and VN which is being investigated as a catalyst [5]. The transition metal nitrides also form alloys, which can be exploited to control their lattice constants and electrical properties, as has been demonstrated with Ti 1 À x Sc x N [6] and Y 1 À x Sc x N [7].…”

Growth of HfN thin films by reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering

“…In addition to the cubic δHfN, the hafnium nitride phase diagram has several other stable phases: Hexagonal αHf(N), rhombohedral ηHf 3 N 2 and rhombohedral ζHf 4 N 3 . 4 Hafnium nitride films have previously been grown by reactive direct current diode sputtering, 5 reactive radio frequency diode sputtering, 6,7 reactive direct current magnetron sputtering, [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering, [18][19][20][21][22] reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering, 23 plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition, 24 electron beam physical vapor deposition, 25 activated reactive evaporation (ARE), 26 pulsed laser deposition 27,28 and ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD). 29 a tumi@hi.is Application of HfN thin films include diffusion barriers 7,22,30 and gate electrodes [31][32][33] in integrated circuits, as microelectronic emitters in field emitter arrays, 18 as absorber layer in solar cells, 17 as an intermediate layer in hydrogen permeation membranes, 34 as thermal barrier coatings 25 and as hard and protective coatings on tools.…”